Khagendra Prasad and Rudrakali, the elephants raised in Chitwan National Park, have begun their journey to Qatar. The two elephants were placed in a truck and bid farewell on Monday.

During the two-day state visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in 2081 Baisakh, Nepal had announced that it would gift two elephants to Qatar.

Khagendra Prasad and Rudrakali will now stay at Qatar's Alkhor Zoo. Chitwan National Park bid farewell to the elephants with a formal program in Sauraha. Ratnanagar Municipality Mayor Pralhad Sapkota, Chitwan Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal and various other people were present at the farewell program. A nine-foot-high, three-ton cage has been built to house these elephants in Khairhani, 11 km from Sauraha. The same cage will be transported to Lumbini International Airport in Bhairahawa by truck. The elephants will be sent on a charter flight from Qatar along with the cage. Chitwan National Park Chief Ganesh Pant said, "Tomorrow these elephants will stay in Bhairahawa." There is a special program in Bhairahawa on Wednesday and a farewell to Qatar.'

Although the provisions and procedures of the International Convention on the Conservation of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are involved in transporting elephants, Nepal can easily send these two elephants as they are domesticated elephants.

Elephants are also included in the CITES schedule, which includes species that are on the verge of extinction. Trade in animals and plants on this list has been controlled. However, they can be transported for research, educational purposes or for keeping in zoos, for which the recommendation of the management and scientific body of the concerned country is required. Chitwan National Park Chief Ganesh Pant said that other processes have been initiated after the park employees themselves went to the Alkhor Zoo in Qatar and returned after studying whether or not elephants can be kept there. He said, "The process of sending the elephants has moved forward after the Qatar government completed its preparations."

The park is also sending Rudrakali's mahout Buddhi Shrestha and Khagendra Prasad's mahout Panchu Khan Tharu and animal health technician Dinesh Dhakal to Qatar. Ganesh Pant, the park's chief senior conservation officer, said that the mahout and technician will return after staying in Qatar for a month.

Rudrakali, weighing 1,500 kg, is 7 years and 2 months old, while Khagendra Prasad, weighing 1,600 kg, is 6 years and 1 month old. Elephants are trained at the Khorsor Breeding Center two and a half to three years after birth. Both these elephants have undergone the same training. The elephants of Rudrakali Park are the offspring of Puja Kali and Khagendra Prasad Koshikali. Both are fathers of wild male elephants.

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